At its Oct. 29, 2026 meeting, the Chesterfield County Ambulance-Fire Rescue Committee authorized staff to negotiate a one-year extension with AMR, held an executive session to discuss an emergency medical services contract renewal, and discussed in‑service training schedules for squad captains.

Discussion Points

•Attorney-client privileged legal advice on EMS contract renewal
•Captains reported unclear training schedules from AMR
•Committee preference to forward recommendation to full council
•Legal basis for executive session cited
•Need to authorize staff to negotiate extension of EMS contract with AMR
•Staff clarified makeup options and will distribute schedule

Decisions

•Informational follow-up; no formal action recorded
•No actions taken in executive session
•Recommendation forwarded to full council

Directions

•Authorize Miss Stanley to negotiate and present recommendation to full council
•Distribute finalized training schedule to squad captains
•Invite council members to attend squad meetings

Nov

November 2, 2026 County Council Meeting

Chesterfield County Council met Nov. 2 for its regular meeting; council approved several fee-in-lieu (FELO) actions for Walmart and two economic projects, approved a state supplemental library grant, advanced a building‑code update, authorized funding to upfit a welding campus, approved a one‑year EMS contract extension after executive session, and heard one public commenter about local court/tax/landfill issues.

Discussion Points

•Amount ($146,002.61) is under council's $175,000 cap for such projects.
•Building was built with tobacco settlement money and has targeted uses; towns of Chesterfield and Terrell own the deed, not the county.
•Company will upfit a building with a dirt floor; significant pre‑construction work expected.
•Council framed the funds as state monies to be passed down to help rural counties.
•Executive session covered EMS contract renewal negotiations and Project Hub business location/expansion matters under cited code sections.
•Finance reviewed NETC's documents and recommended funding.
•No members of the public spoke in opposition during the hearings.
•No public speakers opposed the FELO during the hearing.
•Public motions were made after the executive session to extend EMS contract and to approve inducement/first reading for Project Hub.
•Staff described Project Surface as truck parking/staging on 22 acres adjacent to a distribution center.
•Staff presented county use of FELO tools and the history of the existing distribution center agreement (original 1996 FELO).
•State increased rural supplemental funding from $150,000 to $200,000; county's share increases by $50,000.

Decisions

•Approved $146,002.61 to fund NETC welding campus upfit.
•Approved third reading for FELO conversion (9a) and approved FELO extension from 30 to 40 years (9f).
•EMS contract extended for one year; inducement resolution for Project Hub approved and FELO first reading authorized.
•Project Surface FELO approved on third reading.
•Project Time FELO advanced and approved on third reading.
•Second reading passed by voice vote; staff will allocate funds.

Directions

•Accept the additional $50,000 and direct it to the county library system.
•Finalize EMS contract extension paperwork and prepare FELO documentation for Project Hub.
•Fund the upfit from economic development monies and return funding to the budget over time as appropriate.
•Proceed with FELO paperwork and property transfer steps.
•Proceed with ordinance enactment and process FELO extension paperwork through economic development staff.
•Staff to coordinate permitting and follow up on construction timetable with company.
•Staff to report back on start dates and any state or local restrictions related to the tobacco settlement funding.

Nov

Agenda

Chesterfield County Council is scheduled to meet Nov. 2, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers to hold public hearings and consider multiple FILOT ordinances (including a Wal‑Mart conversion), a budget amendment, building-code changes, and a staff item on waste-tire disposal; executive-session items include an EMS contract renewal and Project Hub inducement. The agenda lists ordinance readings, a finance committee report, and two Project Hub items that follow executive session.

Discussion Points

•Executive session items: EMS contract renewal negotiations and Project Hub economic development discussion.
•Finance Committee to present a report; budget amendment under second reading; building‑code amendment under second reading.
•Public hearings scheduled for Wal‑Mart FILOT conversion and FILOT agreements for Project Surface and Project Time.

Nov

Agenda

The Chesterfield County Transportation Committee is scheduled to meet November 2, 2026, to review its financial statement and receive updates on state, county and town transportation projects. The meeting is set for 9:00 a.m. at the Chesterfield County Administration Building, 178 Mill St.

Oct

Agenda

Chesterfield County Ambulance, Fire and Rescue Committee met Oct. 29, 2026; the agenda scheduled an executive-session discussion of an Emergency Medical Services contract renewal and allowed the committee to vote on that matter after exiting executive session.

Discussion Points

•Agenda item identified an EMS contract renewal to be discussed in executive session and receipt of legal advice.

Oct

October 16, 2026 Animal Services Committee Meeting

Service committee meeting of Chesterfield County on 2026-10-16 reviewed animal-control ordinance language, enforcement authority, fines and shelter intake policies; staff and agency representatives were asked to draft updated nuisance provisions and fine structure for committee review.

Discussion Points

•Court-management system doesn't natively support ordinance citations; a CDR code can be used as a workaround.
•Local ordinance could set a higher graduated fine schedule but must be reconciled with state statute.
•Need to identify which entity is the designated enforcement agent so that responsibilities remain valid if authority shifts.
•Proposal to define 1st/2nd/3rd offenses under nuisance provisions and recommend fine structure.
•State baseline fine is low ($25); court assessments raise totals.
•Whether citations are written to state statute or county ordinance and how that affects fines and enforcement.

Decisions

•No fine changes adopted; work to continue at staff/committee drafting level.
•No ordinance adopted at this meeting; committee requested a draft and recommended fine structure for future consideration.
•Technical workaround accepted; incorporate into implementation plan.

Directions

•Reconvene committee for one more draft/cleanup meeting before recommendation to council.
•Staff and agency representatives to draft ordinance language clarifying designated enforcement agent and recommended fine schedule.
•Staff to draft recommended fine schedule and options for how revenue could support shelter resources.
•Staff to map county ordinance citations to CDR codes in the CMS so e-ticketing will record local ordinance violations.

Oct

Agenda

The Chesterfield County Joint Planning Commission was scheduled to meet Oct. 22, 2026, to consider a petition from the Town of Cheraw to annex 106 Cash Road and a rezoning application involving 273 Second St., plus routine business and a 2027 meeting schedule.

Directions

•Topics requiring further investigation will be referred to the County Administrator for possible scheduling on a future agenda.

Oct

October 19, 2026 Special Called County Council Meeting

Chesterfield County special call meeting on Oct. 19 covered a second reading of a fee-in-lieu-of-taxes ordinance, a staff recommendation to hire two temporary Allied Universal security officers for the detention center (potentially up to $40,000 for a year), entry into an executive session about a detention-center maintenance employee, and a $2,500 salary budget increase for building maintenance.

Discussion Points

•After returning, council approved a $2,500 salary-budget increase for building maintenance.
•Approval of temporary security staffing for detention center and related budget questions.
•Attorney cited statutory authority for closed session on personnel matters.
•Chair presented the ordinance for second reading; motion and second recorded.
•Council entered executive session and later stated no votes were taken during it.
•Council members asked whether contractor costs exceed hiring directly and whether fringe/FICA were included.
•Executive session for personnel and subsequent $2,500 salary budget increase.
•No substantive debate on record in the transcript.
•Procedural adoption of agenda and a second-reading ordinance.
•Staff recommended contracting with Allied Universal for two temporary officers; staffing shortages include roughly six vacant slots and the Department of Correction is temporarily assisting.
•Stanley said costs include FICA/fringe and that conversion to county employment is possible with notice.

Decisions

•All items recorded as approved by voice votes; no roll-call tallies in transcript.
•Contract approved to provide two temporary officers, up to $40,000 for the year; any overage to be funded from reserves.
•Entered and exited executive session; approved $2,500 salary budget increase.
•Ordinance second reading approved by voice vote.

Directions

•No additional directions recorded in transcript.
•Staff to finalize contract in quarterly increments and to return to council if longer-term funding is required.

Oct

October 12, 2026 Finance Committee Meeting

The finance committee reviewed two substantive items Oct. 12: a NETC workforce development welding project (recommended to full council for final approval at the exact proposed amount) and an informational proposal to contract security staff for the detention facility (committee recommended expedited full-council consideration).

Discussion Points

•Allied quote totaled about $471,000 for six supplemental slots
•Billable rates: $29.03 (armed) and $26.27 (unarmed)
•Estimate of roughly $41,000 remaining funding gap after applying existing funds
•The committee had previously authorized up to $175,000 as a ceiling
•Whether $146,002.61 covers all parts of the welding program
•Whether NETC followed state procurement guidelines and obtained adequate quotes

Decisions

•Committee voted to forward NETC Page Land Campus Welding Program to full council
•Committee voted to forward the Allied staffing recommendation to full council with urgency

Directions

•Forward the Allied proposal to full council with recommendation to expedite and consider converting the upcoming briefing to a full council meeting or calling a special meeting.
•Forward the NETC item to full council for approval at the exact submitted amount

Oct

Minutes

Chesterfield County Council met Oct. 5, 2026, and approved several ordinances and economic development incentives, awarded equipment and service contracts, advanced procurement for a new detention center, proclaimed Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and heard public support for a proposed penny sales tax to fund a detention center.

Discussion Points

•A resolution to extend the Wal‑Mart FILOT was listed but no action was taken on that specific resolution.
•CMAR RFQ to be released soon.
•Council entered executive session to discuss Project Surface, Project Time, and Project Hub under state code.
•Council members planned public events to answer questions and correct misinformation.
•Presentation of domestic violence statistics by the Pee Dee Coalition.
•Public comment in support of using a penny sales tax to fund the new detention center.
•Public hearing produced no oral or written comments.
•RFQ for architecture/engineering services issued; due date Nov. 4, 2026.
•Staff met with Allied Security concerning staffing shortages.
•Staff recommended Summit Correctional Services but acknowledged it was not the lowest bid.
•Staff reported three responsive bids and recommended Dobbs for John Deere 620G graders.

Decisions

•Council adopted the proclamation declaring October 2026 Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
•Council approved awarding the lease to Dobbs.
•Council voted to award the food service contract to Trinity Services Group.
•Ordinance amending Chapter 156 passed on 3rd reading; Councilman Price recused.
•RFQ timeline established; staffing issues to be further addressed by staff.
•Wal‑Mart FILOT conversion and Project Surface FILOT advanced on second reading; inducement resolution for Project Time adopted; no action on Wal‑Mart FILOT extension resolution.

Directions

•Council to host/participate in outreach events including Oct. 15 panel at Fisher Hill Family Life Center.
•Proceed with RFQ process and follow up on staffing discussions.
•Procurement staff to finalize lease documentation.
•Procurement to finalize award paperwork with Trinity Services Group.
•Staff to proceed with ordinance readings and inducement actions as recorded.

Oct

October 5, 2026 County Council Meeting

Chesterfield County Council met in October 2026 to handle routine business including proclamations and appointments, approve several ordinances and contracts (including a motor grader purchase and a detention-center food contract), review a zoning/code overhaul at third reading, discuss a proposed penny sales tax for a new detention center, and enter executive session on economic development (fee-in-lieu) matters.

Discussion Points

•Administrator requested three hot meals per day moving forward; council asked about per-meal and annual cost impacts
•After exit, council approved an inducement resolution and took a first reading on a FILO ordinance for 'project time'
•Council agreed to sign proclamation and circulate materials
•Council emphasized rotating equipment every three years to stay under warranty and use buyback guarantees
•Council emphasized this is not countywide zoning and accepted staff clarifications
•Council entered executive session under quoted statutory authority to discuss economic development projects
•Council members committed to public outreach and a community panel (Oct. 15) to answer questions
•County attorney explained full replacement of Chapter 156 to update zoning topics and to add provisions previously missing (shooting ranges, RV density, solar buffers)
•Mr. Price filed a recusal and left the room for this portion
•PD Coalition reported serving 80 in-county victims and 920 regionally from 09/01/2025–09/30/2026
•Resident supported penny tax over property-tax millage for funding the justice center
•SCAWA offered to review draft ordinance language and share models from other counties
•SCAWA urged measurable minimum standards for shelter, tethering, and enforcement
•Short outlined events: Oct.15 resource walk, Oct.20–21 simulation, Oct.17 faith-leaders conference
•Three bids received; staff recommended Summit Correctional Services because previous low bidder resulted in inmate complaints
•Three vendor responses received; John Deere was apparent low bidder with net purchase price $1,000,004.96 for six graders

Decisions

•Bid award approved by voice vote
•Contract award approved by voice vote
•Inducement resolution approved; ordinance taken in first reading by title
•Ordinance adopted on third reading
•Proclamation approved by voice vote

Directions

•Economic development staff and county attorney to finalize details and handle notices
•Procurement to finalize contract and ensure three hot meals per day; monitor grievances
•Staff/county attorney to accept SCAWA materials for review
•Staff to codify and publish new Chapter 156 and provide updated permitting guidance
•Staff to finalize purchase paperwork and trade-in details
•Staff to obtain and circulate proclamation signature and materials
•Staff to post dates/times and locations for outreach events and panel sessions

Sep

Video

Chesterfield County Council met to consider zoning and subdivision updates, a solid-waste ordinance amendment (including tire-drop logistics), an emergency moratorium on RV-park permits, routine staff documents and a workforce MOU, heard one public commenter about county service fees, and approved several project-related resolutions and first readings.

Discussion Points

•Attorney Bryant said Chapter 155 covers subdivisions in unincorporated county and amendments are to manage future development.
•Miss Stanley: first reading by title only; sent to planning commission and tabled for further review.
•Miss Stanley: need to update contact info and fee schedules; Mister Kirkley: ask about rotating tire-drop sites; staff to consult vendor.

Decisions

•No final council action taken; item remains under review.
•Ordinance amending Chapter 155 adopted (third reading).

Directions

•Staff to discuss tire-drop rotation with vendor and report back.

Sep

September 14, 2026 County Council Meeting

Chesterfield County Council met to consider updates to subdivision and zoning ordinances, approve a temporary moratorium on new RV parks, hear a public comment urging relief from trash/utility fees for low-income residents, accept routine workforce-development documents for the council chair to sign, and review a $16,000 engineering change order on the health-department parking-lot project.

Discussion Points

•Attorney explained moratorium extension tied to ongoing ordinance work.
•Attorney summarized Chapter 155 applies to subdivisions in unincorporated county areas.
•Change orders due to water seepage from high water table; additional drainage piping and subgrade replacement required.
•Council approved the permission to sign.
•Councilmember asked whether tire pickup locations (Chesterfield, Jefferson, Patrick) could rotate on a schedule.
•Engineering increase of $16,000 noted; construction funded by grant.
•Hughes argued fees disproportionately affect elderly and fixed-income residents and urged reconsideration.
•Miss Stanley said amendments update contact information and fee schedules.
•No public testimony; council discussed briefly and proceeded to vote.
•Planning commission tabled Chapter 156 changes and will review Thursday.
•Resolution included in council packet and recommended for acceptance.
•Staff requested council consent before chair signs routine documents.

Decisions

•Emergency moratorium on RV-park permits adopted.
•Move forward on second reading; staff follow-up required.
•No immediate vote; staff follow-up required.
•Ordinance amending Chapter 155 adopted; the record notes one 'no' vote.
•Permission granted for chair to sign the two documents.
•Resolution accepted by voice vote.

Directions

•Chair authorized to sign both documents.
•Staff to consult vendor about rotating tire-pickup trailer and return with options.
•Staff to consult vendor on tire drop-off rotation and return with options.
•Staff to meet with purchasing and vendor and report back.

Aug

Video

Chesterfield County Council met Aug. 3, 2026. Council approved putting a 1% capital projects sales tax referendum on the November ballot, authorized sale of a county parcel to Chesterfield County Rural Water, extended a moratorium on certain permits, moved animal-control ordinance changes to committee, approved an intergovernmental municipal-judge agreement with Pageland and increased detention-center health coverage from 8 to 12 hours a day.

Discussion Points

•Attorney Bryant recited statutory authority for executive session to discuss economic development, intergovernmental agreements and detention matters.
•Chair Anderson said council is only authorizing the question to appear; final approval of wording rests with the South Carolina Elections Commission.
•Chair Anderson said the parcel was appraised and Rural Water was interested in purchase.
•Chair said subdivision section may be released in September, but mobile-home/RV items require more time.
•College requested approval to move forward on quoted components to avoid delays and cost increases.
•Council agreed to send the item to the animal services committee and invited public participation.
•Council plans town halls and fact sheets to explain choices to voters.
•Council took two post-executive votes to approve the Pageland judicial agreement and to expand detention health hours.
•Dr. Austin outlined component quotes and outstanding items (electrical, shelter).
•Hughes: some residents are charged county trash fees despite using private services; seniors may be disproportionately affected.
•Hurst: animal-control complaints and lack of timely court action have persisted for months; he seeks stronger enforcement.
•Kirkley moved to extend the moratorium to allow staff to finish zoning work.
•Kirkley said repeat offenders were common and penalties appear insufficient; he requested committee review.
•No public comment was offered in the hearing; council moved to authorize the sale.

Decisions

•Approve intergovernmental agreement with Pageland; increase detention-center health hours from 8 to 12 per day.
•Authorize placing 1% capital projects sales tax question on November ballot.
•Authorize sale of the Highway 9 parcel to Chesterfield County Rural Water.
•Extend the moratorium on permits for mobile-home parks and RV parks.
•Forward packet to finance; proceed with quoted components upon finance recommendation.
•No formal council action taken during public comment; follow-up assigned to staff/council members as appropriate.
•Refer animal-control ordinance amendments to committee.

Directions

•Animal services committee to set meeting and review ordinance penalties and enforcement options.
•College to return remaining items to council when quotes are complete.
•Council said staff or council members would follow up with the commenters where action is possible.
•County administration to execute agreements and confirm contract details and implementation schedules.
•County Clerk to submit question to the South Carolina Elections Commission.
•County staff to finalize paperwork and report back to council with closing details.
•County staff to forward packet to finance for recommendation.
•Finance/staff to prepare explanatory materials for town halls.
•Planning & Zoning to finish zoning changes and report back.

Aug

August 3, 2026 County Council Meeting

Chesterfield County Council on Aug. 3, 2026 approved a property sale, voted to place a 1% capital project sales tax referendum on the November ballot, extended a moratorium on permits for mobile-home and RV parks, approved an intergovernmental agreement for municipal judge services and increased detention-center health-care hours; the council also heard public complaints about trash fees and animal-control problems and received a presentation from the new president of Northeastern Technical College about a Pageland welding-lab upgrade.

Discussion Points

•Austin summarized progress securing quotes for specific project components totaling approximately $61,000 and explained outstanding items requiring procurement.
•Chair noted the property was appraised and that Chesterfield County Rural Water is interested in purchasing it.
•Council directed finance review and to return the item once additional quotes are provided.
•Council emphasized outreach and town halls to explain voter choices.
•He alleged some residents are charged for convenience-center access they do not use and asked about revenue from appliances.
•Hughes said his tablet failed and he provided a handout with charts showing seniors in need of relief.
•Kirkley described repeat animal-control offenders and suggested ordinance penalties be increased.
•No public speakers at the hearing.
•Public question about equivalence of '1¢' to 13 mills and chair clarification that two different options exist in the state commission draft.
•Resident Jack Hurst reported an unresolved dog attack issue that has lingered for 11 months.

Decisions

•Council agreed to forward materials to Finance and to consider proceeding with quoted portions pending finance recommendation.
•Council voted to advance the ordinance authorizing the sale.
•Council voted to move forward to place the referendum question on the November ballot (motion carried).
•Council voted to send the matter to the animal services committee rather than adopt changes at the full council meeting.
•No formal action taken at meeting; staff follow-up promised.

Directions

•Coordinate with county clerk and state elections commission for ballot language and outreach.
•Council to follow up with the commenter and staff to review fee collection and appliance revenue accounting.
•Forward materials to finance for recommendation.
•Refer proposed ordinance amendments to the animal services committee and schedule public committee meeting(s).
•Send project materials to Finance for formal recommendation.

Jul

Video

The Chesterfield County Planning & Zoning Committee reviewed proposed edits to Section 156 of the zoning code — including solar farm decommissioning requirements, buffer designations, manufactured-home age limits, lot-size and density clarifications — and voted to forward the revised draft to the planning commission and full council for approval.

Discussion Points

•Committee emphasized balancing clearer guidance with affordability for residents.
•How will inspections and final signoff prevent a system from energizing before the county has recourse?
•Staff presented ~12 mostly minor edits to Section 156, including language changes from 'shall' to 'may' and moving an approval reference from Public Works to Building Codes.
•When should a decommissioning bond be required (permit issuance, before installation, or before interconnection)?
•Whether landlords who own and rent mobile homes must maintain them to code and how enforcement differs for parks vs. standalone units.
•Whether manufactured/mobile-home replacement age reference should be 20 or 30 years.
•Whether underground cables should be removed or may be cut and left four feet underground during decommissioning.

Decisions

•Agreement to use 30 years in the revised draft; enforcement language to be clarified by staff.
•Committee voted to forward the revised draft to the planning commission and full council for approval.
•No binding technical specification adopted; direction to staff to document trade-offs.
•No final decision made at committee; direction given to staff to revise language.

Directions

•Staff to change the age reference to 30 years in the draft and to clarify enforcement language.
•Staff to define bond timing in draft language and clarify inspection/interconnection requirements.
•Staff to incorporate discussed edits into the draft and forward to planning commission for review.
•Staff to prepare packet for full council if planning commission recommends approval.
•Staff to update draft to require removal where feasible and note increased decommissioning costs.

Jul

July 24, 2026 Planning & Zoning Committee Meeting

The Chesterfield County Planning and Zoning Committee met on Friday, July 24 to review a cleaned-up draft of Section 156 of the county code covering solar farms, manufactured/mobile-home rules, site-plan professional requirements and decommissioning procedures. The committee voted to send the revised draft to the planning commission and full council for approval.

Discussion Points

•Clarify buffer zone standard for solar farms to 'buffer zone C'.
•Clarify who approves certain building items (replace 'public works' with 'building codes').
•Define trigger for presenting the decommissioning bond for solar farms (discussion of when to require bond).
•How replacements in mobile-home parks differ from single units on private lots.
•How to define 'abandoned' (12 months of disconnection noted).
•Require removal of underground cables during solar decommissioning versus cutting and leaving them.
•Require site plans be prepared by licensed professionals (land surveyor, landscape architect or engineer).
•Set manufactured-home age threshold to avoid displacing long-time residents.
•Trade-offs between increased decommissioning cost and future nuisance/safety reduction.
•When to require the decommissioning bond (permit issuance vs before selling power).
•Whether to treat manufactured homes older than 30 years differently in the code.

Decisions

•Agenda adopted; minutes approved; revised draft forwarded to planning commission and council.
•Committee voted to forward the revised draft to the planning commission and full council (motion carried).

Directions

•Staff to add clarifying language on bond timing and abandonment to draft.
•Staff to add clearer language requiring removal or specifying conditions under which cables may be left in place.
•Staff to change the age threshold in the draft to 30 years and clarify park vs. individual-home treatment.
•Staff to incorporate the discussed edits into the draft and forward to planning commission and full council with a recommendation.

Jul

Minutes

A joint briefing of the Chesterfield County Council and the Capital Project Sales Tax Commission on July 20, 2026, discussed a proposed ballot referendum to fund capital projects, including the Commission's unanimous recommendation to build a new detention center, and plans for public education ahead of Council's public hearing and third reading on Aug. 3, 2026.

Discussion Points

•Bryant reported prepared outreach materials (press release, website, PowerPoint) and noted edits may be needed.
•Commission reported and recommended funding for a new detention center.
•Council and Commission discussed methods of educating residents.
•Council reported Second Reading completed and scheduled public hearing and Third Reading for Aug. 3, 2026.
•Public Hearing and Third Reading scheduled for Aug. 3, 2026.
•Second Reading on the ordinance completed by Council.

Jul

Video

The County Council conducted a special meeting that approved on second reading a referendum question to impose a 1% capital sales and use tax for up to eight years to raise funds (up to $50,000,000) to build a new county detention center and authorized staff to pursue required procedural steps and public education prior to Elections Commission review.

Discussion Points

•Bond counsel will solicit bids for issuance to obtain best interest rates.
•Clarification that county may issue up to $50,000,000 in general obligation bonds and that ad valorem tax could be used if sales-tax receipts are inadequate.
•Council emphasized need for voter education and Elections Commission approval before the question may appear on a ballot.
•Reading of ballot question proposing a 1% sales and use tax for up to eight years to fund a $50,000,000 detention center.
•Staff described funding as a mix of sales-tax proceeds and existing debt mills; a bed study and design work are underway.
•Staff explained use of sales-tax proceeds and existing mills to meet annual payments.
•The $50,000,000 project cost remains an estimate pending studies and procurement.

Decisions

•Motion to place the sales-tax question on the ballot approved on second reading by voice vote; no opposed recorded in transcript.

Directions

•Engage bond counsel to bid bonds when proceeding to issuance.
•Prepare and execute a public education plan, including town halls and district outreach.
•Prepare bonding timeline and bid process; engage bond counsel when appropriate.
•Prepare outreach and education materials for district-level meetings.
•Submit question and wording to State Elections Commission for approval.

Jul

July 15, 2026 Special County Council Meeting

At a July 15 special meeting, the Chesterfield County Council approved a second-reading ordinance placing a 1% capital sales-and-use tax referendum on the ballot to fund a proposed $50 million county detention center; council members discussed funding mechanics, the division of payments between the sales tax and existing debt mills, voter education and required Elections Commission approval.

Discussion Points

•Chair read ballot question and stated the project is a new county detention center estimated at $50,000,000.
•Council members pressed staff for clarity on the $50 million estimate, the annual payment calculation (~$5.5 million/year x 8 years = ~$44 million) and how remaining funds would be covered.
•Members discussed voter education strategies and noted that final ballot wording must be approved by the Elections Commission.
•Staff explained that repayment would rely on a combination of the proposed 1% sales tax and the county’s existing seven mills for debt service; bonds will be issued to finance the principal.

Decisions

•Council voted to approve the ordinance on second reading to place the 1% sales-and-use tax referendum on the ballot (voice vote).

Directions

•Staff and bond counsel to prepare final ballot language for Elections Commission review.
•Staff to organize district-level outreach/town halls explaining the referendum and financing implications.

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